Reversible ratchet wrenches have been available to the public for a rather long period of time. For example, John H. Dodge was granted U.S. Pat. No. 1,177,764 in 1916 upon a ratchet wrench of the type that could be converted to either a right-hand or a left-hand wrench, i.e., reversible, by means of a half-turn of an extension rod running to the bottom of the handle.
Various improvements have appeared on the reversible ratchet wrench since such time, such as differing means for reversing the pawls for reversing direction of the ratchet. J. S. Dodge in U.S. Pat. No. 2,003,346, shows an improvement in a pawl-reversing device. Similarly, J. S. Dodge in U.S. Pat. No. 2,590,387, discloses further improvements for a pawl reversing scheme.
The ratchet reversing wrenches presently available and as cited above all have the same inherent disadvantage and that is that in order to reverse the direction of the ratchet, it is necessary that the operator using the reversible ratchet wrench remove his hand from a position gripping the handle of the wrench to reverse the ratchet direction if one hand is to be used solely, or, if the operator wishes to continue gripping the handle with one hand, then the operator is required to use the other hand to reverse the ratchet reversing pawls. The reason for this is in all reversible ratchet wrenches known to the inventor, the pawl reversing mechanism is either at the bottom of the handle or at the top socket receiving portion of the wrench. In both cases, two hands are necessary to simultaneously grasp the wrench and change its direction.
Many situations can be envisioned where direction of the reversible ratchet wrench is desired or necessary while continuing to hold the ratchet handle, but where the operator's other hand is either not available to change the ratchet direction or where the socket receiving portion of the ratchet wrench is in a position not accessible by any hand.